My Kafka Ascension Guide: Farming Materials in Honkai: Star Rail 2026

I still remember the first time I controlled Kafka in Honkai: Star Rail. Her trial was brief, but her calm voice and devastating Lightning attacks left a mark on me. Since her limited banner debut in Version 1.2, I have been building her on and off. Now, in 2026, I finally decided to finish her ascension and max out her Traces. If you are like me, you want Kafka at the top of her game. She is a 5-star Lightning character who follows the Path of Nihility. She is a main DPS who specializes in damage over time. She also amplifies other DoTs, so she shines with characters who inflict Burn or Wind Shear. But before she can dominate battles, I need to farm a lot of materials. Here is my personal guide.

Why I Chose to Build Kafka in 2026

Kafka is not just another DPS. She is a DoT enabler. Her skill and ultimate apply Shock and trigger all DoTs on enemies. That means I can pair her with Sampo, Luka, Guinaifen, or Black Swan. The team does not need to burst enemies down instantly. Instead, I watch enemies melt from stacked damage over time. In 2026, many new characters have arrived, but Kafka remains a cornerstone of DoT teams. She is also flexible. She can be a sub-DPS or a main DPS. So I decided to give her the best gear and max level.

Ascension Materials I Need to Farm

The first step is ascension. Kafka needs two main material families. The first is the Thief's Instinct family. This includes Thief's Instinct, Usurper's Scheme, and Conqueror's Will. These drop from Voidranger: Reavers, Voidranger: Eliminators, Voidranger: Tramplers, Voidranger: Distorter, Stormbringers, Baryons, and Antibaryons. I find the best farming spots are the Storage Zone and Supply Zone inside Herta Space Station. I also grab them from Assignments, the world shop in Herta Space Station, and the Embers Exchange Store. I always need a surplus because Kafka's Traces use these items too.

The second core material is Shape Shifter's Lightning Staff. It drops exclusively from the Stagnant Shadow: Shape of Doom on Stargazer Navalia. I have to fight this challenge multiple times. If I already built Jing Yuan, I might have leftovers. But I did not, so I farmed from scratch.

Here is a simple table I use to track ascension materials. I do not list exact quantities because they depend on how far you have already leveled Kafka, but the material types are fixed.

I also need a huge amount of Credits and EXP materials to reach level 80. This part is easy to underestimate. I spent several days just farming Credits. My advice is to plan your Trailblaze Power carefully. Do not dump everything into one material. Spread it out.

Trace Materials for Kafka's Abilities

Traces are where Kafka becomes terrifying. I need to upgrade her abilities, minor traces, and bonus abilities. Some of the materials overlap with ascension. I need more Thief's Instinct, Usurper's Scheme, and Conqueror's Will. So while I farm ascension, I keep farming extra.

The next family is Obsidian of Dread. Its evolved forms are Obsidian of Desolation and Obsidian of Obsession. These are exclusive to Nihility characters. I farm them at the Calyx (Crimson): Bud of Nihility. The best location is the Great Mine on Jarilo-VI. If I already leveled Welt or Silver Wolf, I might have leftovers. I did not, so I ran this Calyx many times. The sheer amount needed for fully upgrading Kafka's Traces is large. I also need nearly ten times more Credits for Traces than for ascension. That is not an exaggeration.

The last material is Regret of Infinite Ochema. This is the only material I could not pre-farm before Version 1.2. It drops from the weekly Echo of War boss fight against Phantylia, the Undying. She is located in Scalegorge Waterscape. I had to unlock her by winning the battle in the main story quests. The fight is limited to three Echo of War rewards per week. So I may need several weeks to gather all the Regret of Infinite Ochema I need. Not many are required to fully upgrade Kafka's Traces, but the weekly limit makes it slow.

Here is another table for Trace materials.

My Farming Routine and Tips

I follow a simple routine. On Monday, I check my weekly Echo of War attempts. I fight Phantylia first. Then I spend Trailblaze Power on Stagnant Shadow for Shape Shifter's Lightning Staff. On other days, I alternate between Calyx for Obsidian and Credits. I also do Assignments for passive materials. I use the Embers Exchange Store to buy Thief's Instinct when I am close to an ascension. I never convert all my materials into higher forms too early. Sometimes I need the base version for lower Trace levels.

I also recommend pre-farming. If you know you want Kafka, start before her banner. In 2026, many players already have her, but new players can still get her during reruns. The material list has not changed. The only time-gated item is Regret of Infinite Ochema. Everything else can be farmed ahead of time.

Final Thoughts

Building Kafka is a long project. It takes patience. But when I see her ultimate trigger Shock and all other DoTs at once, I know it is worth it. She is one of the strongest characters in Honkai: Star Rail. She does not always eliminate enemies immediately. Instead, she lets them suffer. If you get Kafka, do not rush. Upgrade her gradually. Farm her ascension materials first. Then work on her Traces. Pair her with Burn or Wind Shear characters. Watch her DoT team shred everything. That is my plan, and it works for me.